I am no fan of religion but will acknowledge there are some benefits to churchlife. My Mom loved church music and looked forward to choir practice and Sunday mornings I was always taken to Sunday school. Dad prefered the Church of the 18 holes when weather permitted.
As I was expected to go to college and my public high school grades were C grade (I was a goof off) I was sent off to a private boarding school sponsored mostly by Episcopal funds. There I had to attend a mandatory Comparative Religions course. It covered a lot of the history of religion over most of the entire world. And time. Seems that religion has been practised many thousand of years and the gods have been plentiful. All were big on performing “miracles”. Virgin birth stories go back long before Jesus.
So, yes, I believe in god(s). Even the JudeoChristian one. How can I not. I live in a fairly urban area and can’t drive a mile in most directions without passing a church or two. God is real. As James Bond is real. As Hamlet is real. As Mickey Mouse is real. And he pulls in more money per week than all those others — combined. ll’s because a huge number of the people — world wide — feel the need to show up on Sundays to hear some person tell them how God has told him/her to tell them how to behave or suffer consequences. The heaven v hell stories mainly. Asked why they do this never having seen God the response is mostly “Faith… I have faith”. Well I don’t have that faith. To claim I do would be a lie and lying is frowned upon in Christianity.
Not too long ago there was something on the tv about Easter and Jesus suffering on the cross and it got me thinking that all the times back when I was immersed in church stuff that one subject never came up. That was: what did Jesus do to get nailed to that cross? Romans had bunches of ways to deal with criminals They had jails and whippings and stonings but crucifixion was only for the worst of the worst. And most who were crucified were tied up there not nailed. What crime did Jesus commit that was so foul as to get him nailed up there? And, if he’s really God’s son, what kind of Father would allow that to happen to his kid?
So I am not a Christian any longer and have not found any religion to replace it. I am just happily religion free. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.